Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has rejected claims that Turkey supported Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants as they toppled Bashar al-Assad in Syria, Turkish media reported on Tuesday.
The swift success of the HTS-led operation, launched just three weeks earlier, was a shock even to veteran observers, as the rebel forces captured Aleppo and quickly advanced to Damascus, toppling five decades of Assad family rule on December 8.
The lightning campaign capitalized on a series of favorable conditions: Assad’s army was drained and demoralized; Iran and Hezbollah were weakened by their conflicts with Israel; and Russia, preoccupied with other priorities, appeared disengaged. According to regional sources, including a diplomat and a member of the Syrian opposition, Turkey, a longstanding supporter of the Syrian opposition, was informed in advance, as no such major offensive could have proceeded without its knowledge.
Speaking after a central executive board meeting, AKP spokesperson Ömer Çelik addressed the recent developments in Syria, denying accusations that Turkey has backed HTS.
“The claim that Turkey supports HTS is wrong,” Çelik said during a press conference in Ankara. “All of our efforts are aimed at stopping the bloodshed in Syria.”
Çelik said Ankara is committed to Syria’s territorial integrity. “Our flag is flying in Damascus as we reopened our embassy after 12 years. Turkey continues to stand by the Syrian people. Our guiding principle is that Syria belongs to the Syrians,” he stated.
Addressing broader concerns about extremism, Çelik said that HTS represents an internal dynamic within Syria rather than a group supported by Turkey. “Syria is not a battlefield for external agendas. Maintaining its territorial integrity is among our fundamental principles,” he added, rejecting claims that Turkey’s engagement with HTS amounted to support for the group.
Fidan denies Turkey’s role in Assad’s escape
In an interview with Saudi-based Al-Hadath television, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan denied allegations that Turkey facilitated al-Assad’s escape from Syria. He attributed the operation solely to Russian efforts, dismissing reports of Ankara’s involvement.
Fidan emphasized that Turkey played no role in planning Assad’s departure. “This is not something Turkey would do or has done,” he said, responding to claims that Ankara cooperated with HTS and other groups during Assad’s flight. “The Russians organized and carried out this operation independently. We had no role in it.”
The foreign minister also reiterated Turkey’s commitment to supporting constructive solutions in Syria, particularly in collaboration with the Syrian opposition. He explained that while Turkey worked to minimize the humanitarian and logistical fallout of the opposition’s operations, it had not engaged in pre-planned collaboration with any groups or nations to orchestrate military actions.
Fidan further highlighted Turkey’s broader regional goals, calling for mutual respect among Middle Eastern nations to establish stability and prevent external intervention. “It is time for regional states to come together and work collaboratively to safeguard each other’s sovereignty and ensure peace in the region,” he said.